Reed between the lines: Could Kavis be coming back to Edmonton Eskimos?

The more things change around the Canadian Football League, perhaps, the more familiar they could end up becoming at Commonwealth Stadium.

In a wacky off-season, fans have seen a league-wide game of musical chairs for starting quarterbacks, the international floodgates open to global talent and, finally, the beginning of the ever-important collective-bargaining agreement discussions.

From a local standpoint, however, the two biggest stories have been the departures of star quarterback Mike Reilly and CEO Len Rhodes.

With change comes opportunity. The Eskimos quickly moved to sign a talented new quarterback, Trevor Harris, and that move has been widely lauded. No public developments, however, regarding the second critical organizational vacancy: The all important CEO.

However, with the news out of Montreal this week regarding the imminent sale of the Alouettes, an intriguing option, Kavis Reed, is developing.

New owners almost always want their own people. As the Montreal Gazette‘s Herb Zurkowsky tweeted earlier this week, “If the Montreal Alouettes are indeed sold, I wonder if the new owners might make an offer to Danny Maciocia to become GM. Just sayin’.”

If #AlsMTL are indeed sold, I wonder if the new owners might make an offer to @dmaccoach to become GM? Just sayin

In Quebec, it makes sense in many ways. Macoica grew up in Montreal and he’s won a national championship as coach of the University of Montreal Carabins.

Interestingly, if Zurkowsky proves prophetic, that would mean the end of the Kavis Reed era in Montreal and, suddenly, an intriguing option for the Eskimos would be available.

Think about it. Reed might be the perfect replacement for Rhodes.

At first glance, the prospect might not have the green-and-gold-clad fan base jumping for joy, given the disappointing 4-14 record in his final season with the Eskimos. His 8-28 record as Als GM has been far from stellar, too. But the CEO isn’t the football guy. Instead, his role is to connect with the fans, the business community, the media and to help the football guys succeed.

Reed absolutely checks all of those boxes.

First and foremost, he knows football. By comparison, Rhodes, while undeniably a good man, had more experience in the ketchup and beer businesses, with his biggest success coming from 11 years as a highly respected Reebok executive.

Reed played in the Eskimos secondary for five years and was a divisional all-star before retiring early due to a nasty neck injury.

For the past 17 years, his coaching and management career have taken him from Hamilton to Toronto, to Ottawa, to Winnipeg, to Saskatchewan, back to Winnipeg, to Edmonton as head coach, and then on to Montreal.

All having one constant, however, with Edmonton being Reed’s home. His wife and two kids have never left the city the Reed family loves and, even when employed elsewhere, the 46-year-old former Eskimos player has spent each and every season here. That matters. It matters a lot.

Even when dismissed by the Eskimos as head coach, they stayed, and while out of football for one season, Reed spent the following year in Alberta focusing on pursuing his masters in business administration.

Reed not only has a business background but, more importantly, he understands the Edmonton business community, where his wife is a highly respected chartered accountant. Additionally, he’s media savvy, public-relations savvy and totally negates the historic concerns that crop up whenever an ‘outsider’ takes a leadership role with the community-owned Eskimos.

How many times did we hear that criticism of Rhodes, Macocia and former GM Eric Tillman? Outsiders, all of them. The same criticism goes back even further. Remember Kay Stephenson?

Speaking of fit, Reed would follow the exact mould of Wade Miller in Winnipeg, the former Blue Bombers player who was hired ad their president and CEO in 2013. No doubt, with the Bombers turnaround, that hire has been a big success.

The blueprint is there for the Eskimos to follow, and Reed’s hiring would make sense in other ways, too.

He’s long been known for his intellect. Reed, who played at Furman in South Carolina, was lined up to attend medical school before embarking instead on a career in football.

He has people skills in abundance.

He understands the Eskimo Way.

Still, some will critically go back to his record, but, Reed did win in Edmonton when he had Ricky Ray as his quarterback. And, in fairness, he inherited a sinking ship from Jim Popp in Montreal, where the Alouettes have never been close to the same minus Anthony Calvillo.

Plain and simple, Reed gets and loves Edmonton.

As CEO, he would check almost every important box. And this much is without dispute: You’ll never hear him utter, “Winning isn’t everything,” the phrase that, while taken out of context, haunted Rhodes until his departure.

Those who have played, coached and managed know better. Playing for the late, great Ron Lancaster, Reed knows what winning means to this fan base.

Sometimes change brings opportunity. And, like signing a new quarterback in Harris, hiring Reed as CEO would be a big step in the right direction.

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